Automatic stop mechanism



O. H. HANSEN AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM Filed Jan. a, 1921 2' Sheets-smet 1 ,Zgm 35 INN/ENT' O. H. H ANSE N STOP MECHANI s 1v1 AUTOMATI C Filed Jan. 5, 1,921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENV ENT m Wg; 5%/

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Patented Oct. 13, 19.25; i

UNITED STA oSwALn H. HANSEN, or roRT WASHINGTON, WISCCNSIN, AsSIeNon, BY DIEECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To HANSEN oANNINe MACHINERY CoEPoRATIoN, A COIR- PoRATIoN or WISCONSIN.

-A'UTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM.

Application led January e, `1921.v Serial No. 435,835.

To all whom t may o ofrwem': ,E p.

Be it known that OSWALD HANSEN, a Icitizen of the United States, residing at Port Washington, in the county of Ozaukee and State of llVisconsin, has invented a certain new and usefulAutomatic Stop Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

lThis invention relates in general to improvements in the art of controlling the operation of machines by means of objects delivered .thereto,and relates more specifically to improved means for automatically stopping,r can illingmachihes and similar apparatus, under certain abnormal conditions o operation.

An object of the invention is to provide means for automatically controlling the operation of machines such as can filling mahines, to which objects lsuch ascans, are delivered in succession. Anotherobject ot the invention is to provide simple and eiiicient means iior stopping machines such as can filling machines, in response to certain abnormal conditions of operation thereof; fi further object of the invention is to provide means for positively eliminating waste of materials during the operation of auto matic can tilling machines.

ln many canning factories, it is the established practice to transport empty cans or like re eptacles to the filling machines with` the aid of gravity, the cans being dropped or deposited in succession into the upper ends of canchutes leading from a can supply room to the tilling machines located in a room elow. As a rule, relatively cheap and unreliable help is depended upon to assort the empty cans and tokeen the can chutes supplied so that the .filling machines may be properly operated. The en'ipty receptacles, and especially the relatively trail sanitary tin cans new almost universally used in the vegetable canning industry, are sometimes imperfect and for this and other reasons, frequently become jammed in the can runways in spite ot extremely careful handling and assortment ot the cans. As a result of these and numerous other conditions, it'often happens that the delivery oi empty receptacles to the tillng machines is` interrupted, thereby causing a machine to deliver `batches of' ina-'L terial which it was intended to deposit in the empty cans, upon the substructure of the lilling machine and over the door of the factory, thus Wasting considerable ina-- terial. As the attendants frequently fail to carefully observe the operation of the lillers, if often happens that a number of Successive batches of material are thus Wasted before the normal supply of empty cans is reestablished.

The present invention contemplates the provision ot means wherebyI such Waste of materials is positively eliminated. With the apparatus vforming the subject of this invention, the machine to which the receptacles or cans are normallydelivered in succession, is automatically stopped the instant the delivery of receptacles is interruptedu While the invention has been illustrated tor convenience, as being applied to a machine adapted toiill cans with a mixture of peas or beans and liquid, it will be obvious that the automatic stop device or mechanism is also applicable to other types ot can tilling machines such as disclosed -in Patents No. 1,188,764 and No. 1,359,367, and in copending applications Serial No. 197,809, led October 22, 1917, Serial No. 214,205, tiled January 28, 1918, Serial No. 300,992, tiled May 31, 19.19, Serial No. 343,698, tiled iDecember 10, i919, Serial No. 3/l7,ll0, tiled December 2l, 19119, and Serial No., 30,13% tiled December 13, 1920, as vvell as to other machines which merely treat the cans or the contents thereof such as can Washers and sterilizers.

Some of the novel features pertaining to the specific construction and operation oit' can iilling machines, term no part ot the present invention and are claimed in copending` applications Serial No. lll, filed October 22, 10i?, Serial llo., 214,205, hled January 28, 15H8, and Serial No. 430, 131, filed December i3, i920.

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While the present speeincation maires use of relatively specic descriptive .'terms, it is not intended to thereby limit the scope of the invention. Although the machine illustrated is especially adapted to transport and Vto lill open topped 6fi-sanitary tin cans in Hilti specification, in which like reference characters designate. the same or similar parts 1n the various views.

through a machine adapted to ll cans with a mixture of peas or beans and liquid, the machine having an automatic stop applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section throughl a can feed mechanism for deliver-l ing empty cans in succession to a filling machine. Fig. 3 is anl .enlargedpart sectional view of an automatic stop mechanism, showing.

the same applied to a filling machine.

Fig.` 4 is an enlarged part sectionalview of the automatic stop mechanism, showing the same applied to a filling machine.

lFig. 5 is an enlarged part sectional view of the automatic stop mechanism, shpwing the same applied to a filling machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the cam element for actuating the main power transmitting clutch lof the filling machine.

The can filling machine disclosed in Fig. 1, to which the automatic sto -mechanism 1s herein illustrated as applie comprises in general a-frame structure, a granular' material Asupplyhopper 2l mounted upon the frame structure, a `liquid supply reservoir 3 supported. b the frameis'tructure, an annular series o sevenequally 'spaced granular material measuring pockets 4 successively communicable with thel supply hopper 2, an annular' seri-es of seven equally spaced mixture measuring -pockets successivel communicable with the pockets 4 andV wit seven e ually spaced conducting elements vorI funne s 6 successively communicable with the measuring pocketsv 5, means -for transporting cans 30 in seriesbelow, the succesltothe transporting means, the feeding mechanism being shown in detail in Fig. y

TheA frame structure comprises apalr of laterally spaced vertical side frames 2() which are interconnected at their lower portions by means of a horizontal cross-frame 24, at their medial portions by means of a horizontal can supporting frame 8, and at their up er portions by means of a horizontal poc ret supporting Vframe 7 The filler drive mechanism comprises a h or1- zontal wer shaft 16 supported in bearings forme integral with the rameUS and 1n an outer bearing 35 secured to one of the side frames 20, and a vertical main shaft 1.0 supported in bearings in the several horiforming. elements so as to normally revolve the pockets 44, 5 about' the shaft axis, and

- having a lower thrust collar 9 for revent- Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectioning axial displacement ofthe sha t. The cantransporting element 1'1- is attached directly to.,the bevel gear'13 by means of driving ins 23 and hasra series, of seven can hooks a apted to retain the successive cans, i

30l in vertical alinement fwith the lower openings of the funnels 6. The can guide 22 extendspa'rt. wa around thel element llpand'is supported rom, theframe 8. The

funnels 6l are also drivingly associated with theifgear 13 .and with the' `element 11 by meansoftliev pins 23.

The main driving pulley 17 is secured by power shaft 16 and wh-ic the shaft 16,-see Figs.- 3 to 5 inclusive. The element 21' has a series of jaws' 46 which with the clutch in driving able clutch element 18 is secured to the'. shaft 16 by means of a spline 45 ,and is manuall movable into and out of en agement wit the fixed clutch element 21` y means of aI levery 19 which is adapted to shut ,off the supply of liquid to the reservoir 3 when the clutch is `thrown out, and to establish a su l ply ofl li uid for this reservoir when t e clutch is t rown in, as described in copending application Serial No.- 430,131', filed December 13, 1920. 'thesupply reservoir 3,"an annular series of Y The can feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 2, comprises a curved can guide 25 the upper inlet end of which communicates with a supply chute not shown, and the lower delivery end of which terminates adjacent to the transporting element 11 and extends over` a can feeddrum 26. The `guide 25 is adapted to right the successive cans 30 .and to deliver them in succession upon the revolving' upper surface of the drumv 26. The end of the` drum 26 adjacent to the shaft 10 is proosition, are ladapted -to interlock with similar jaws on. the movable clutch element 18. The movvided with a peri heral helical rojection 27 which is adapte to engage the ower 'rear portions of the successive cans 3U and to whirl the cans successively upon the upper' surface of the frame 8 and in advance of the approaching hooks of the transporting element 11.' The feed drum 26 is secured to a horizontal counter-shaft 28 mounted in bearings in the auxiliary frame 15, and is drivingly connected to the bevel gear-13 by .means of a pinion 49. The filling machine is operable manually by means of a hand wheel' 29 Asecured to the ,shaft 2S, while changmg grades. The cans 30 after having been filled,l are delivered from the'machine i by means cfa discharge `disk 5()y located ad-v jacent to the feeding mechanism. The can guide 22 extendsfrom the feeding mecha' nism to the discharge disk and serves to-hold the cans 30 in the path of the hooks of the l transporting element 11.

The automaticy stop mechanism shownin l detail in Figs. 3 to 6l inclusive, comprises a rotary cam element 12 securedv to the movable y clutch element 18 by means of pins 48, a

)pair of united oscillatory arms 32, 33 secured to the frame 8 by means of a pivot 31, an oscillatory actuating element 34 secured to the frame S by means of a pivot 38, and a tension spring 39 for constantly urging the actuating element 34 about its pivot`38 in an anti-clockwise direction and toward a stop pin 43. The cam element k12 has a per ripheral flange Which is inclined at an angle of about 60 degrees relatively tothe axis of the shaft 16. The greaterportion of the cam flange has circularigeneratrices Whose common center is thefshaft axis,'but oney portion 47 of the element flange is distorted toward the driving pulley 17 as shown in Figs.. 4 and 5. The swinging end yofthe oscillatory arm 32 is provlded with spaced rollers,

36 which engage -the opposite facesiof the flange of the cam element 12. Thel swinging end of ,the oscillatory arm 33 is provided with a lug 41which undercertain conditions f of operation '.fc'oacts with a similar lug42 formed integral with the actuating element 34. The actuating element 34 is provided with a handle 44` for permitting manual oscillation of theelernent about its pivot 38..

During the .nor-mal operation ofqthefillingl 'nachine, the clutch isx throWriinto drivmg position and rotarylmotin is beino' impart-'f cd from the pulley 17 togtheisha `t, 16 and gears 14, 13. Arsthe gear. 13` isfrota'ted, the 'shafts 1,0, 28 are.simultaneously`rotated, -.the

former of these shafts revolving the pockets 4,5 andthe latter rotating the canfeed-,drum

26. 'Asthe successive `measuring pockets pass the delivery openlng lof 'thesupply hop-f per 2, they are filled with granular materialL from the,l hoppera,... The, advancingv'filled pockets 4 lsubsequently and successivelyl lde` liver their` contents through van openingl properly positioned, into the successive mix-4 ture measuring 'pockets' 5. The advancing pockets 5 are subsequently and successively completely filled with liquid` from (the reservoir 3, thus producing successivethomogene'- ous equal batches of, mixture. These measf.l

ured batches of mixture are subsequently and successively delivered- 'from the pocliets 5 through `a properly. positioned opening,

' 4into the successive funnels 6. As the can feed. drum v26 rotates, the' successive 'empty cans 30 are advanced from within the upper curs with the portion of the guide and are caught by the helical projection 27, see Fig. 2. lThe .projection 27. whirls the. successive carisB'Oiifn f advance ofthe successive can liooksfof-\the revolving 'transpopting element `1l. The hooks ot the element 11 properly position and in conjunction Withth'e guide 22,'retainY the cans in vertical ali'nement with-'thel discharge openings of the funnels 6 thus placing the `empty cans in osition to re- (eive'the measured batches ot mixture passing through these tunnels. As the successive cans 30 are filled with the mixture, they/,

ing element 34as indicatedlinllig. 3`. V Upon being further advanced, the engaging can 30 swings the element 34 in a clockwisedi-Q,

rection about its pivot 38 away fromfthe stop `pin'43 and. ystretching the spring 39 as shown in F ig.` 4. When the element 34 is swung by a can 30", the lug 42 secured to the element is moved out of the path of travel of the lug 41 on the arm 33, therebyr releasing the arms 33, 32 for movementL about' their' pivot 37. The timing of the rotary cam element l2. is such that duringfthe/Y period when the lugs 41,42 are adjacent to each other, the 'rollers 360`the arm 32 are in engagement with the undistorted portion v of the cam :flangeQf-lVlienlfthe lug 42 is moved away` from/the path .of movement of the lug 41,/the` rollers 36 ride' along the distorted.portion. 47 of the cam element 12 and..k

momentarily swing i the arms 32,133 yin .al lclockwisedirection about the p1vot'37 tothev l,position shown 1n Flg. 4, w1thout affecting thepositionbf the clutch jaws/t6.l ro-` tatingcamelement K12 quicklyrestores the arms 32, 33 to the position indicated in Fig. 3 whereupon the can^30 releases the Aactua-ting element v34 and the spring 39 `re turflfkslhefreleased,elementto the position l indicated in Figf and against the sto pin .43.' ThisI sequence Yoit l operations o the levers 32, 33 and actuating` element 34 ocpassage of each cani-50 past theelement 34. y

f lIf for any reason, the feed drum 26 fails to deliver a can 30 toNthe transporting element 11,the` spring 39 retains the actuating element 34 against the stop pin 43 as'- shown ,in Fig. 5. With 'the element 34 and lug 42 thereon thus held, the arms 32, 33 are locked against clockwise movement by?` virtueof the coaction of the lug 41 with the lug 42. With the arm 32 thus locked, as the cam element 12l continues to rotate, the distorted cam cause of'` the can supply.. The stopactuatportion 47 automatically`shifts the movable clutch element 18 tofthe right suilici'e'ntly to disengage the yjaws. 46- and to stop the iller. The shifting ,of the element 18 to the Vright as viewed in Fig. 5, simultaneously throws the clutch actuating lever 19 and shuts olt' the liquid'supply to the reservoir -3. Upon restoration ofthe supply .of empty canszil, "the filler may again be quickly tplaced 4in nrinaljzoperation .by lmanipulationA of ffthev `leverl19. 'u

-From the foregoing descriptioni-t will `be apparent thatLthe filliigmachi-ne and the supply of material, ,will be quickly automaticallystopped upon interruption for/any ing element 34 is'preferably so positioned that it will engage the'relativelyffrail cans ,30"at'their bottom portions wherethey have greatest strength. The` spring 39 isrelaf` tively-light and will not daniag'e the cans- 30. The entire automatic stop'. mechanism is exceedinglysimpletand compact and may be readily'l applied to. existing illing" ina-l1 chines and to other kinds ot can handling or l treating apparatus.

It should be understood that it is not deiI sired to limit this invention .43o the exact details of construction` and4 of operation of thev device herein shown and described, for

receptaclesin `series about an axis, a rotary Y sourcel et power having an' axis of `rotation transverse 't'o AtheXaxi/s ofL advancement of# saidaseiies, alclutelij connecting said source and said -advancingnia'na a cam for actu- 'atingfsaidclutchi a' .pivote"d member'cooperl able with successive `V-receptaclesof `-said series, and a connection between said' 'inember and said cam whereby said clutch is automatically disconnected when said series of receptacles is interrupted.`

3..In combinatiom'means for advancing j receptacles in seriesabout a vertical ',axis, a

source yof power com rising a pulley rotatable about a horizonta axis, a clutch rotatable about .a horizontal axis and adapted'to con-` nect said pulley andsaid advancing means, 1 l.

al vertically path of and engageable with successive receptacles oi said series; and a vertically -piviotedinember movable in the pivoted arm operable-by said member tor dis" connect. said clutch :fromsaid pulley when said series of receptacles Ais interrupted.

' 4. In combination, means for advancing receptacles inl seriesabout a vertical axis, a driving pulley rotatable about a. horizontal taxis, la clutchy ha. ing one element secured to.

said pulley an ,drivigly' connected,...` u means, a pivoted member movableglin 'patlji-,otfand engageable with successive re'- having another element4 ceptacles o f said series, a cam adaptedlto j disengage said clutch elements,l and means connecting said memberandsaid cam, to

disconnect saidclutch elements when/,saidl series of'r'eceptacles'is interru ted.

, 5. -In combination, means or advancing receptacles in series about an axis, meansvl fordeliveriiig successive receptacles to said advancing means, -a source of power, mechanism including a clutch for connectmg said source and said advancing means, a

memberpivotally supported closely adjacent to said delivery means and movable toward said axis, said member being en- `.gagefable with the successive receptacles entering s'aid series, and means operable by said member to disconnect said clutch when said series is interrupted. 1

6. In combination, means for advancing receptacles -v in v series about a vertical v axis, means vfor l,deliveri-iig successive receptacles to said advancing means with their open lends uppermost, IaA source of power, meclian# ism including a clutch for'connecting said source andsaid advancingM means, a; mem-L ber vertically pivotmally, supported closely adjacent to said delivery means and movable' a'rd. 'said ,axis, said member being engageable with successive receptacles entering said series, and means operable by said member to disconnect said clutch when`v series is interrupted.

7:,In combination, means for advancingl receptacles in series about an axis with their "open ends-uppermost, means for delivering suitscessive'l receptacles to said advancing means, a source of power, mechanismin-A .cluding a clutch for connecting said source Awith" said advancing, and said '.delivery means, a member pivotally supported and movable toward said axis, said member being engageabled with' successive rece tacles entering said series,"and means opera le'byl said member to disconnect said'clutch when said series is interrupted.l

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor lis aixed hereto.

OSWALD' H. HANSEN. 

